A rehabilitation model for drug-addicted individuals in two Polish centers

A new rehabilitation model for drug-addicted individuals developed by psychologist and director, Jaroslaw Straszny, and his colleagues and patients is currently being implemented in two rehabilitation centers in Czechowice-Dziedzice and Bielsko-Biala, Poland. The model approaches drug addiction treatment from the human psychology perspective and underscores the significance of individual responsibility, initiative, and ability for self-direction in the treatment process. The purpose of the article is to describe where the model fits in the context of past and current rehabilitation efforts, show how the model is applied in the centers, and to provide a theoretical framework for the model. Updated statistics at the end of the article show that at the longest-operating center, 80% of the intravenous opiate users who completed the program have maintained abstinence and are, in general, coping well with life.